The empty room chapter 1
by jillybutters
Summary: One out of many chapters left


The hall had been quiet for all of half an hour when the door opened once more.

The two Earth Pony Guards standing outside of Princess Celestia's room glanced at each other before looking at the creaking door as Princess Luna made her way in. Again.

She walked towards them only to stand right in front of a blank wall. The two guards exchanged looks. When one was about to speak, the other one shook his head. Grumbling a bit, the first guard settled back to his post as they surreptitiously observed the Princess.

Luna paced in the hall for the sixth time that night, having walked out of the hall in a huff only to return shortly after.

The two guards followed her with their eyes, getting more and more nervous as she would stop and stare at a wall a few feet down from her sister's door, muttering to herself.

They exchanged glances once again when she shook her head.

"Hey... do you think she's going..." one of them started to whisper from the side of his muzzle.

"Damn it!" Luna suddenly roared making the two guards jump in fright.

The crash alerted Luna to what happened and she sheepishly watched a helmet roll past her. "Eh.. hehe... sorry."

The two looked at her bewildered until the door behind them opened slowly and Princess Celestia walked out of her room, eyes heavy with sleep. "Luna?" she shook her head and looked down at the two guards who were still holding on to each other and blushing so hard their whole heads were red. She arched an eyebrow and the two hastily separated to stand on their posts.

Still looking a bit embarrassed, Luna placed the helmet on the top of the guard's head using her magic. "Sorry sister..." she sighed.

"What happened?" Celestia asked, more awake now and trying to stifle a yawn. "It's pretty late at night."

Luna sighed. "I know, I know it's just... there is something strange here." her hoof swept in the direction of the empty hall. "I know I haven't been here for a thousand years but... wasn't there a room right next to yours?"

Celestia blinked. "What? I don't remember any rooms next to mine."

"But... I'm sure of it." Luna said making her way to where she thought it should be. "Did you rebuild anything around here while I was gone?"

"No..." Celestia said, walking up to her. "But, Luna, are you sure you're not confusing this hall with one in your old castle?"

Luna shook her head. "No... I distinctly remember there being a room right here... I can almost see the door."

Celestia turned and stared at the wall. Her eyes narrowed. She peered closer. Her left eyebrow twitched and then curved inquisitively. "No... I don't think there was anything there, Luna."

Luna groaned. "I feel something here sis! Really!"

Celestia blinked, looking at her sister's stern expression. "I can see that, Luna but there is nothing there."

Luna groaned then turned to look at the guards. "Hey, you two. Come over here."

The guards looked dubious but a Royal Order was, after all, a Royal Order. There was a reason the words were capitalized.

"Yes, your majesty?" one asked.

"Look over here and tell me what you see." She pointed at the blank wall.

The guard stared at it. "I see... a wall, your majesty."

"Me too." the other added, then, as if suddenly inspired he smiled triumphantly. "I also see granite blocks, making the wall."

The Moon Goddess seriously considering punching the guard in the face so hard he would meet the celestial body itself, but gritting her teeth she held back. "Celestia..."

"Luna, there is nothing there, really. You must be confused." Celestia said kindly. "Maybe you're tired."

"Sister." Luna snapped. "Look at them. Guards. Look at where I am pointing."

Celestia decided to humor her sister. After a moment, she frowned. "My loyal guards, please, look to where the princess is pointing."

Both of the guards looked confused. "We are, your majesty."

Celestia looked at Luna, who had a smug smile on her face. "I see. There is some sort of compulsion making them not look at the spot you are telling them about."

"Not only them." Luna said after a moment. "You too, sis."

"What?!" Celestia reared up. "But... that can't be, the only other pony that could cast such a spell is you!"

Luna nodded. "And I didn't. Well, I'm sure the door is there, so, if you'll excuse me..." she quickly turned around and using her considerable strength kicked with her hind legs.

There was the sound of cracking wood, and for a moment, Celestia thought that she had seen something. She concentrated harder as her sister kicked again.

There! Just as her sister's kick had connected with the invisible door there had been a mirror-like sheen splintering for a second.

Concentrating her magic she waited for her sister's third kick and cast a strong dispelling spell. The magic and the damage to the door were too much for the illusion trying to protect it. With a crack that shook the hall the spell broke into ephemeral pieces that were visible to the naked eye for a split second before evaporating into nothing.

The guards stared in surprise at the sudden appearance of the room where there used to be nothing, but to their credit they recovered quickly and began to approach it.

"Wait." Luna ordered. "My sister and I will go first, we don't know if there is any more magic in there that might affect you." The guards looked slightly nervous at the prospect, and fell back after looking at Celestia for acknowledgment.

Celestia and Luna slowly made their way to the door and carefully kicked in the last pieces of the strong wooden door before walking inside, their magic bringing with them a couple of torches.

When they looked inside, they gasped.

"W-what does this mean?" Luna asked, looking around in wonder and some measure of horror as she looked at her sister.

Celestia for her part sank to her knees. Tears started flowing freely as she looked around the room. "I don't know sis... but... I... I can't stop crying..." her hoofs came to her eyes, she was confused and scared, but even worse, there was a horrible, sinking feeling inside of her.

Luna watched as her sister's eyes betrayed a terrible hurt. She hadn't seen anything like that since she had turned into Nightmare Moon a thousand years ago. Back then she had been disgusted at what she know recognized as the pain you can only feel for someone you love with your soul.

She walked slowly around the room avoiding the small bookshelf, the little table, the wooden blocks... until she stood in front of an empty crib standing next to a small cabinet with some tiny dresses and a couple of cute diadems . The room still had magic in it, and it had preserved everything just like it had been the night or day it had been closed and hidden. On the sheets of the crib she could see the wrinkles around an empty space. Next to a small pillow lay two small dolls, one of which, with a pang of sudden pain, she recognized as herself, before she turned. The other one was of course, was a doll in the likeness of Celestia.

Luna noticed the guards approaching the room and quickly galloped to the entrance and blocked their view. "You cannot come in." she stated. "One of you, stand guard and let no-one inside and don't look in yourself, the other is to get Lance here."

The two guards scrambled to follow orders.

She looked back at her sister, who was looking at the room in desperation, searching for clues, tears still streaming out of her eyes. "There must be something!" her sister whispered. "Some clue, some sign... why was this hidden?" she looked at her sister. Luna cringed, there was so much pain in those eyes.

She had to ask. She hated to ask. But she had to. "Sister... did you ever have a filly?"

The Empty Room

By Wanderer D

Chapter 1

The Great and Powerful Trixie growled as she looked at the map for the umpteenth time. She had followed the directions on it perfectly! The Great and Powerful Trixie looked around her at the dense forest and finally admitted that she was lost. Very lost. Completely, utterly, absolutely, undeniably, definitely lost. She was so lost her compass was not even trying to point North anymore.

It had given up on her. Just like all her also lost fans.

The Great and Powerful Trixie also admitted that she had no idea what do do now, but promised herself that if she ever saw a certain purple unicorn or the Earth Pony that had sold her the useless map in her hooves, The Great and Powerful Trixie would make them pay! Oh yes. And they would pay soooo hard. Because nopony humiliated or scammed The Great and Powerful Trixie and lived to tell the tale unscathed.

A treacherous voice inside Trixie's head however, reminded her that she was so lost that it would be pretty much impossible to meet those two ever again.

The Great and Powerful Trixie, however quenched that thought with so much force she passed out.

When The Great and Powerful Trixie woke up again, she had a splitting headache. It was also nighttime. Trixie cast a quick cantrip to tell the time. About two hours away from dawn. She then remembered that she also had a cantrip spell to know which direction she was facing. Her horn glowing with magic, she concentrated, only for her horn to shower her in sparks.

"Yaaaah!" The Great and Powerful Trixie squeaked in surprise. "What the hell? WHAT THE HELL?!" she shouted at the top of her lungs. "A silly compass I can understand! But a spell!? A SPELL?! What the hell is going on here?!"

A soft, rumbling growl quieted down The Great and Powerful Trixie, who looked around fearfully."Who daressss" a hissing voice made its way towards Trixie. "Who daresss awaken the Guardian?"

The Great and Powerful Trixie blinked then looked down at the map, where a circled red "X" marked a spot in the middle of no-where with the words "Temple of the Guardian" scribbled next to it.

"Oh." Who knew. The Earth Pony that sold her the map had actually given her what she wanted. The Great and Powerful Trixie mentally removed him from the list of ponies that would suffer her wrath.

A slithering sound around her snapped her back to the present. "I await your ansssswear, little pony..." the voice hissed on her ear.Fearfully she turned around but there was nopony there.She tried to speak, but faltered.

Taking a deep breath, she looked defiantly into the darkness between the trees. "I, The Great and Powerful Trixie have awakened you Guardian. I made my way here through challenges that would have made any other pony shrink in fear! Facing dangers that none but The Great and Powerful Trixie would have been able to overcome!"

"And what doessss 'The Great and Powerful' Trixssssie, want with the Guardian?"

Trixie frowned. The Guardian had said her name in a way that sounded... condescending. No, it couldn't be. The Great and Powerful Trixie would never be treated condescendingly. She was the only one that deserved to look down on others. "Guardian! I, The Great and Powerful Trixie, have come here to learn from you the ancient Magics of the Guardians!"

A low rumble shook her and she looked around confused until she understood. The Guardian was laughing! At her! The Great and Powerful Trixie mentally added him to the list of ponies or whatever it was, that would suffer her wrath.

"Little Pony..." the voice hissed, amused. "Little, little Pony." it chuckled. "Do you know who it issss you have... awakened?"

"Well, duh." The Great and Powerful Trixie snorted. "The Guardian. You said so yourself."Mist slowly started to gather around her hoofs. "Yesssss." the voice said. "But did it ever... occur to you to wonder... the Guardian of what, exsssactly?"

Trixie opened her mouth to answer, but then slowly closed it. The Great and Powerful Trixie had not, in fact, wondered what the Guardians she was looking for actually guarded.

"Uh... I guess you guard great power?" she ventured.

There was a pause. "Well... Yesss, I do." the voice said eventually. "But! That is not all... I possssesss great power, true, but it isss not for poniessss to learn."

"Damn it." The Great and Powerful Trixie swore adding the stupid Earth Pony to her mental list again. "Are you sure?" she asked hopefully. "I had heard that you had vast knowledge of Magic. Surely you can teach me something?"

There was silence again. This time though, even the slithering and rustling around her had quieted down to nothing. The Great and Powerful Trixie shifted nervously, asking herself if this had been a good idea after all.

Then the voice spoke. "Yessss. I ssssuposssse there issss ssssomething I could teach you, oh Great and Powerful Trixie." the voice said.

"Really?!" Trixie smiled genuinely, fears forgotten. "Please do! Anything I can do to make those that humiliated me pay!"

The Great and Powerful Trixie debated whether or not to take the Earth Pony and the Guardian off of her list, but decided to wait until she learned the new magic. If it was cool and powerful, she would take them off, if not... Well... they didn't need to know anyway until she exacted her revenge.

"Yesssss." The voice said, once again whispering in her ear and sending shivers up her spine. "I will teach you now."

Slowly The Great and Powerful Trixie turned around and looked up. And up. Until she could see the face of the Guardian. For a moment she stared at... it. And then, with quick move giant jaws descended upon her.

Her screams echoed in the jungle until they slowly died away... only to be followed by a very loud belch.

o.0.o

Twilight Sparkle jumped in her bed when Spike belched loudly. On the way down she completely missed the bed and crashed next to the still snoring baby dragon.

"Oww..." she moaned, shooting the sleeping reptile a glare that slowly melted away when he grumbled in his sleep and turned. Really. Who could stay angry at such a cute-Her thoughts were interrupted when a scroll bumped her just behind her horn, making her go cross-eyed for a second.

Shaking her head, she levitated the scroll with her magic, noticing that the seal was not Princess Celestia's, having a moon in it instead of the sun.

"I've never received mail from Princess Luna..." she whispered as she opened the scroll. "Explains the hour, though." she chuckled, noticing that it was still dark outside.

As she was about to read the scroll, the door to her balcony was kicked in.

"What the..." Twilight shot to her feet. With a flash of her horn the candles in the room were ignited. "Rainbow Dash?! What are you doing here at this time of night?!"

Breathing heavy, Rainbow Dash looked at her and shook her head. "Twi... [gasp] this is... [cough] not... nighttime!"

Twilight blinked. "Dash, you are clearly mistaken. Just look outside. The moon's still up."

"I know that!" Rainbow Dash snapped, having finally regained her breath. "But it should have been gone by now! Everypony's in a panic!"

"What?" Twilight walked to a small water clock she had received as a present from Princess Celestia. She stared. It was eight AM. "But that's...""Everyone is starting to think that Nightmare Moon has returned!" Rainbow Dash said, and in the distance, Twilight could hear confused shouting.

Remembering the scroll at the mention of Luna's alter-ego, Twilight quickly returned to it and read as fast as she could.

Rainbow Dash paced around as she observed her friend. "Twilight?" she asked as the unicorn's hold of the scroll ended abruptly. The piece of parchment fell to the floor next to the still snoring Spike. "Are you okay? You look pale."

"I... I need to go to Canterlot." she said shaking her head, but obviously still in shock. "The Princessess need me. Immediately. They've already sent the chariot."

"What?!" Dash's eyes followed her friend as she started packing things with her magic, still obviously in a daze as she was trying to pack Spike, bed and all into her bag. "But... if the moon is out... it has to be Luna! You can't go there!"

"Dash!" Twilight said, her magic twisting Spike upside down and trying to force him into the bag. "Princess Celestia can't bring the sun up! They need me there!"

"Then you are not goin' alone, sugarcubes." a voice said from the entrance to her room, and the pair turned around to see Applejack, flanked by Rarity and Fluttershy, with Pinkie Pie bouncing behind them, muffled "I can't see! I can't see!" making their way to them.

Twilight felt her fears calm down a little bit, but she was still very worried about Princess Celestia. "I... thank you... please go get ready, I need to finish packing and write back to Princess Luna."

o.0.o End Chapter 1 o.0.o


End file.
